Trial of the Prince
by CrystalEsper
Summary: A killer is on the rise in Inaba. No one seems to know who he is, and nothing about the victims can point us to him. Three murders and no clues. They must really be getting desperate to call in someone as young as me. Well, people don't call me the Detective Prince for nothing. It's time for me to prove myself!
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue: Brand New Days**

 _ **Sunday, May 15, 2011, Afternoon, Cloudy, Shirogane Residence**_

 _Mayumi Yamano, Saki Konishi, Yukiko Amagi: Three victims, all found hanging from telephone poles. Cause of death unknown… Dammit, how is this even possible? How could a killer commit three murders and not leave a single shred of evidence? There's just no way. It's not possible._

 _But… It happened anyway… The perfect, unsolvable crime…_

…

 _No. Come on, Naoto, snap out of it! Every crime is solvable! Now, we know that Yamano-san was staying at the Amagi inn before her death, so if-_

My thoughts were rudely interrupted by someone knocking on my door. _Dammit, who's looking for me this time!? Ok, be calm, Naoto, just send them away quickly and be done with it._

I grabbed my gun off the table, just in case, and went to the door. When I opened it, I saw a face that was all too familiar. _A face that really shouldn't be here right now._

"Afternoon, Shirogane! Still hard at work, eh?" He greeted me. _Ryotaro Dojima. The one person on the force who can look past my age and see me for my ability. It's nice when he drops by, but… What was so important that he needed to leave Inaba now of all times and come here?_

"Dojima-san… Shouldn't you be in Inaba right now?"

"Well, yes, but… Look, can I come in? There's something we need to talk about. It's about the murders." Dojima said grimly. _Of course. What else could this be about?_

"Of course, come in." I let him inside and showed him to my work room. It was only then when I realized how messy and cluttered my space has become. Papers had been strewn everywhere and many empty cups of coffee lay about the room, long since finished. _I really need to clean this room up someday._ We sat in some chairs sitting in the corner of the room, the awkward silence only increasing the tension. "So… Another victim, I'm assuming?" I started.

"Well, no. Er, yes, but… Well… Not yet. We have no proof, but we think we know who the next victim will be." He explained with a serious look on his face.

 _What!? Dojima-san, have you gone mad!?_ "This must be a mistake. Absurd as it may be, the killer left no evidence on any of the bodies or at any of the scenes, and no one else in Inaba had connections to Yamano-san. How could you possibly make a prediction with nothing to go on?"

"Funny story about that. Taro Namatame, you know, the man who had the affair with Yamano-san? He moved back to Inaba some time ago. Something about working for his family's delivery business. But that's not who I'm here to talk about. Here."

He handed me a large folder stuffed to the limit with papers with the name 'Kanji Tatsumi' on the front. His mugshot greeted me when I opened the folder. Short, bleached blonde hair, a scar near his eye, and _way_ too many piercings, with a face that glared back at me from the page. _What's with this guy? He's so angry…_

"This is him, huh? You know him?" I asked, flipping through the folder. Inside were police reports of all of the many, _many_ felonies and misdemeanors he committed. _So this delinquent is our next victim, huh? Great…_

"A little, yeah." He said dryly. "I've dealt with him down at the station quite a bit. He has good intentions, but he can be a bit… aggressive."

"I've noticed." I responded, still flipping through the mountain of police reports. _It's gonna take me days to look through these._ "So, why do you think he's the next victim?"

"Well, it's mostly speculation, but we think it's because he appeared on the news two nights ago." _Really? That's it? So much for 'Ace Detective'._

"It might not sound like much, and it really isn't, but it happened to all of the victims shortly before they disappeared, and quite frankly, we don't have much else to go on," He explained. _It's better than nothing, but is it really enough? We're still just speculating at this point._

"So, we think he's the next victim, right? So why are you here telling me this? Shouldn't you be protecting him in Inaba? You didn't have to tell me in person."

"Actually… I did. See, Kanji has… A bit of a violent streak. He's not gonna believe us if one of us in Inaba approach him about this. So… I was wondering if… you know… you… uh..." He chuckled nervously.

"Get to the point, Dojima-san. I have work to do."

"Ok, ok. Look, If we approach Kanji, he's going to retaliate because he knows who we are and doesn't trust us, but he doesn't know you. He's never seen you before, and he's around your age. I was thinking that, because of this, you would be able to protect him better than we can." _His logic isn't making much sense. Then again, it makes just about as much sense as the rest of this case. It might work, but…_

"I'm still on the force, though. Won't he realize that?"

"You would be going undercover, say, as a first-year transfer student to the local high school. To him, you'll just be another student… If he ever stops skipping class…" he grimaced.

 _Back to school, huh? This just keeps getting better and better…_ "So, let me get this straight. You want to take me out of my home to Inaba, on the off chance that this prediction is right and you need me to act as this delinquent's bodyguard? And I'll have to go back to school while doing so?" _I guess I'll do it. If it will help solve the murders, I'll do anything._

"Well… yes. You always wanted to investigate this case in person, right?" He stood up and reached his hand out to me. "Well, this is your chance." _It's time, Naoto. Let's do this._

"I'm in." I declared, grabbing his hand, sealing my fate. "Let's do this."

"Then we have no time to waste. If we leave now, then we should arrive in Inaba by evening. Are you ready?" _This is it. There's no turning back. This is my case now._

"I'm always ready, Dojima-san."

* * *

We got into the police car and set off to Inaba. I was excited, yet nervous. _What is Inaba going to be like? What kind of life will I live? How am I supposed to be a student and investigate the case? Will I be able to do it alone? Will I be able to do it at all? Am I in over my head?_ Eventually, my worries faded as sleep overtook me, preparing me for the trials ahead. It will be difficult, but I think I'll be able to handle it.

 _I am the Detective Prince, after all._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1: Welcome to Inaba**

 _ **Evening, Raining, Dojima Residence**_

"All right, we're here. Come on, get up. You can't just sleep in my car all night, you know."

Waking up, I found myself outside what I'm assume is Dojima-san's home. _It's a pretty small place, but I guess it's to be expected if he lives in a small town like Inaba._

"About time you woke up. Come on, let's go in." He offered, umbrella over his head.

"This is your home, is it not, Dojima-san? I'm afraid I can't accept this. I don't want to burden you."

"Oh, come on now. Surely you need a place to stay, right? Besides, my nephew's moving back home today. There's plenty of room for you." _Nephew? Dojima-san has a family? Interesting… so why does he never talk about them?_

"You realize I can take care of myself, right? I'm not a kid, Dojima-san. I've been living alone for years. I don't need your charity."

"Maybe not, but wouldn't it be nice to live with others? It would be a lot less lonely." _Lonely? Me? Ridiculous. Who does he think he is, my father?_

"I don't think you hear what I'm saying, Dojima-san."

"Oh, I do. And I'm not taking no for an answer. I want to make sure you aren't miserable during your stay here." _Miserable? I'll be fine on my own. Still, securing lodgings is a long process. I suppose I have no choice, especially with him begging like this._

"Fine… I'll stay here." I relented, stepping out of the car. _For now, at least._

"Ha! I knew you would listen. Come in, I'll show you around." He chuckled, reaching the umbrella so it covered my head and lead me inside.

* * *

The inside of Dojima-san's house was pretty small. Immediately after entering, I saw a kitchen table with papers scattered across it. _Still cleaner than my desk._ There was a couch and a table further in, directly across from a TV playing the news. There was a little girl absorbed in the program, sipping some green tea. As I took my shoes off and walked in, I nearly tripped over a small box sitting on the floor. _Dojima-san, please learn to pick up after yourself._

"So, this is the place. You like it?" He asked, oblivious to the fact that I almost tripped over the box.

"It's a lot different from the city."

"Yeah, that's why we moved out here. Chisato and I, well, you see… uh… Hey Yu! Are you ready?" he yelled upstairs. _Nice way to completely change the subject, Dojima-san. Still, who is this 'Chisato' person? I'd better keep her in mind._

 _"Just about!"_ Came a voice from upstairs. _So, Dojima-san really does have a family… Could Chisato be part of his family, too?_

As I pondered this, someone ran downstairs. A teenage boy, a little older than myself, with dark silver hair and eyes, wearing a green plaid shirt with a black jacket and black pants. "Ok, I'm ready… Wait, who is this?" He asked, staring directly at me.

"My name is Naoto Shirogane. I'm going to be staying here while investigating the murders. It's a good thing you're leaving now. It could get very dangerous for you if you stay."

"Yeah, I also need to go back and take care of my mother. She just got into a car crash and needs help… Oh! I never told you my name, did I? My name is Yu. Yu Narukami." He reached his hand out to shake mine. _He seems like a good kid, if a bit awkward. Probably for the best that he leaves now._

I shook his hand, which he took… rather enthusiastically. After a good five seconds he finally let go and picked up the accursed box that I almost tripped on. _Is that his luggage? That little box is all he's taking? That's not even a full suitcase…_ "Okay. Now I'm ready." He told Dojima-san and started to head outside.

"What was that about?" _Getting me to move in on the same day he moves out… What is he planning?_

"He already told you most of it. After he told me about the crash, I called her to make sure she was alright." He explained. "She is, but she's gonna be out of it for a while and she needs Yu to go back and take care of her. Anyway, I need to take him to the station. Can you stay here and watch Nanako?"

"Her?" I asked, gesturing to the girl watching TV.

"Yes. She should be able to take care of yourself, but help her if she needs anything, okay?" He asked. _Great, my first job in Inaba: Babysitter…_

"If I must."

"Thank you so much, Shirogane," He sighed in relief. "Okay, I need to go now. I'll be back later tonight. Nanako should be able to go to bed on her own. Thank you!" He said, running out the door in a hurry.

 _All right. Let's do this._ I approached the girl, still sitting at the TV. As soon as she turned to notice me, my stomach immediately twisted into a knot. _Auughhh. What the hell? Why does my stomach hurt so much? Was it all the coffee I drank last night?_ As I was doubled over in pain, Nanako left the TV came up to me with a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, worried.

"I'll be fine." _I don't need this kid to be worrying about me._ She obviously didn't believe me, as she grabbed my head and turned it to face her innocent, youthful brown eyes directly.

"You're not okay. You should get some rest. Come on. I'll show you to your room." She gave me no room to argue as she grabbed my hand and forcibly dragged me up to an empty room with only a futon in the corner and a TV near the wall. She left me to get the futon out as she went to get medicine. When she came back, I swallowed the medicine and braced myself against the wall, trying to keep myself together, my mind started to wander again. _This kid is really self-sufficient. Is she normally alone at home? She's very mature for her age. Almost too mature…_

"There. That should help. My room's across the hall if you need anything." She said quickly before closing the door, leaving me alone.

As I got undressed, I noticed my stomach pains easing up, but not quite going away. When I laid down on the futon, the TV suddenly sprang to life. _That wasn't Nanako, was it? What's going on here?_ There was a vague silhouette in the center of the screen. It piqued my interest, but sleep quickly overtook me before I could think of looking further.

* * *

 _ **?**_

"Well, this is unusual, don't you think?"

 _"That may be so, but even the most unusual turns of events have a purpose. This girl could be just what Inaba needs. Who knows? She might even surpass him with her ability."_

"Interesting. You have not met her yet, but you believe she will be useful to us?"

 _"It is indeed a possibility."_

"And if she isn't?"

 _"Only time will reveal that to us. Until then, we will just have to wait… and see…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2: The Mist**

 _ **?**_

 _Do you seek the truth?_

 _If it's truth you desire, come and find me…_

 _What the hell? What's going on here? What truth? Where am I? Who's out there? Why is there so much fog?_ While I was surrounded by the fog, I could clearly see a path of solid red and black laid out before me. There was nothing behind me. The only way to go was forward.

As I walked the path, the voice from before had not made a reappearance. Suddenly, a cool wind swept by me, and something else with it, stopping next to me. The being was impossible to see through the fog, but I could tell someone was there. _This thing… What is it? It doesn't seem hostile, at least for the moment. What could it be?_

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

 _..._

 _Great… No answer… Was this thing the one talking to me?_ "Hey, you! Who are you?"

 _..._

 _And of course, no answer again._ I gave up and started walking again. As I walked, the figure started floating alongside me. Okay... This is happening, I guess. What does it want with me? "Are you here to help me?"

 _..._

"I'll… take that as a yes." I stopped trying to communicate with it and continued walking on the path that seemed to stretch on for ages, the being never once leaving my side.

* * *

Eventually, we arrived at a strange, spiraling door with a clear view on the other side. The fog seems even stronger over there. Something is waiting for us. The voice, perhaps? While I was thinking, the figure gently placed a hand on my shoulder, urging me forward. Contrary to the frigid wind it came from and the general atmosphere of this area, its hand was quite warm. _Finally, you acknowledge me… Do you know what's on the other side? I guess there's only one way to find out…_

* * *

When we arrived on the other side, the fog immediately thickened. Next to me, I could hear the distinct swinging of metal coming from the figure following me. Slowly, a silhouette started to appear in front of me through the fog. The being next to me swung its weapon, but the silhouette seemed completely unaffected.

 _So…_

 _You are the one pursuing me…_

 _Hmhmhm…_

 _Try all you like…_

"What's that supposed to mean!? Who are you!?" Receiving no answer, I pulled out my gun to try and intimidate it. "I'm warning you, I will shoot!" It wasn't working. The figure said nothing. I could sense my partner trying to attack it to no avail. What is he doing? Maybe... Can we actually take this thing?Not wanting to let my partner do all the fighting, I jumped to the side and shot a bullet into the ghostly figure.

Nothing happened. It passed right through.

I fired the rest of the clip at it, the bullets doing no damage. Just what is this thing, anyway? I reloaded my gun and held it steady, knowing any more shots would be useless.

 _Hmmm…_

 _It seems that you can see a little, despite the fog…_

 _I see…_

 _Indeed…_

 _That is very interesting information…_

 _But…_

 _You will not catch me so easily…_

 _If what you seek is "truth," then your search will be even harder…_

The fog seemed to get even thicker, the silhouette no longer visible. My head started to hurt. I started to feel nauseous again, I collapsed to the ground in pain, struggling to breathe. How...? How can fog do this much damage to me? My body struggled against this overwhelming force, unable to get up. My partner dashed toward me, but before he could reach me, my body gave out, and everything faded to black.

 _Everyone sees what they want to…_

 _And the fog only deepens…_

 _Will we meet again…?_

 _At a place other than here…_

 _Hmhm…_

 _I look forward to it…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3: Enter the Dragon**

 _ **Monday, June 16, 2011, Morning, Cloudy, Dojima Residence**_

 _Ughhh… My head hurts… I need coffee, dammit… What was that dream last night about? And that figure in the TV. It just turned on and showed up on its own… Why? Could it still be there…?_ Dragging myself out of the futon, I crawled over to the TV and turned it on.

 _"The clouds are rolling in today, and tomorrow, there's gonna be-"_

I shut the TV off. _So, was I just imagining things last night? No, I couldn't have..._ _It's too early to deal with this, where's my coffee?_

* * *

I headed downstairs, trying to clear my head. When I arrived, Dojima-san was waiting at the table. There was a male school uniform and bag laid out on it, and a cup of coffee at the chair closest to me. _Black… you know me too well, Dojima-san._

"Mornin'! Sleep well?" he asked.

"For the most part, yes." _It's probably better not to tell him about the dream last night._

"Well, if you need anything, you know who to ask. Nanako didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

 _Nanako… If anything, it was the other way around._ "Not at all, Dojima-san. She was very… independent."

"Ha! That sounds like Nanako, alright! She's been like that for as long as I can remember." As he spoke, there was a twinge of sadness in his voice, but he quickly covered it up. "So… Are you ready?"

"I told you before, Dojima-san, I'm always ready."

"That's what I like to hear! Now, we should probably go over a few things before sending you off." _A few things? Great… This is gonna take a while._

I grabbed my coffee and drank it slowly, hoping it would last for the conversation ahead. "What things?"

"Well, first, you see the uniform? That's yours. You'll need it if you're going undercover." _A male uniform? I suppose it's for the best. People might actually take me seriously._ "I know this is a male uniform, but bringing you here was kind of a last minute decision, so I had Yu leave his uniform here before he left. He's about the same size as you, so it should fit. And don't worry, the staff has been informed about why you're here, so if you're too busy and don't come to school, they know what you're doing."

"Alright, so what do I do?"

"You'll pretty much be acting like a normal student. Just make sure you keep an eye on Kanji… Well, if he ever goes to class." Dojima-san sighed.

"And if he's not there?"

"Then find him. The teachers will know what you're doing, don't worry. It's fine if you leave school for this." He chuckled.

"Alright. Anything else?"

"One more thing. Stop by the faculty office first. They're waiting for you there. Well, you should get going. You don't want to keep them waiting."

"Of course, Dojima-san. Thanks for the coffee."

"Anytime, Shirogane."

I headed back to my room to get dressed. I stripped my clothes and laid out the uniform. After some thought, I decided to put on my bulletproof vest to wear under it. _Not like I would need it, but better safe than sorry. Plus, if I'm wearing a male uniform, I may as well look the part._ I then put on the uniform itself. it was a perfect fit. Not wanting to waste any more time, I stored my gun in my bag and headed downstairs and out the door.

* * *

 _ **Daytime, Yasogami High School**_

 _Well, here I am. Yasogami High._ I started to pick up my pace, having taken several wrong turns on the way here and not wanting to be later than I already am. _So this is it, huh? Kanji's school… that he apparently never goes to. Alright. I need to find the faculty office. Once I get inside, I just have to… uh… dammit, I really should've asked Dojima-san for a map. Oh well, I'll find it eventually. Let's just hope the entrance is unl-_

My thoughts were interrupted as I received a sharp blow to my head. I landed face-first on the ground and quickly lost consciousness.

* * *

 _"Come on, you gotta help me!"_

 _"What the hell do you expect me to do!? He's unconscious! What did you do to him!?"_

 _"I don't know! I was like... and he was like... and then just… BANG!"_

" _Well, call an ambulance or something!"_

 _"Why can't you do it!?"_

 _"Because I didn't almost kill him!"_

 _"He's not dead! He can't be…"_

 _What just happened? What just hit me? At least I'm not hurting too bad. Are they talking about me? Why are they so loud?_ I slowly got up, eyes locking with two people. A teenage boy with obviously dyed orange hair, brown eyes, and a pair of headphones around his neck. _Is he allowed to have those in school?_ The girl next to him had short, light brown hair, with brown eyes and an obnoxious green sweater over her uniform. _Okay, that has to be against the dress code._

"I'm not dead, you know." I called out, relieving their state of panic. Instantly, the girl looked toward me, and jumped me, locking me in a death hug.

"You're alive! Oh, thank goodness!" The girl was crushing me, and I could hear soft sobbing coming from her.

"Hey, Chie, I think you're crushing him." The boy behind her called out.

"Oh, crap! Sorry!" She cried, letting go of me, finally allowing me to breathe.

"It's no problem… I've fared worse."

"Hey, now that I think about it, I haven't seen you here before. You new or something?" She asked.

"Yes. My name is Naoto Shirogane. I'm going to be a first year student here."

"Ha!" The guy behind her laughed. "Not to bring you down, but you picked the worst possible time to come here."

"Yeah," Chie agreed. " There's been a string of murders going on here. It's really dangerous." _Oh, I know. That's why I'm here._

"I know. I've already been informed. There have been three murders, right? Yamano-san, Konishi-san, and-"

"Yukiko…" Chie interrupted. _Oh no… They're already involved in this._

"You knew her?"

"Yeah… Yukiko is, er, was… My best friend… W-we did e-e-everything together… And n-now… She's gone!" Chie burst into tears, collapsing and sobbing on the ground.

"I, uh… I'm terribly sorry. No one should have to go through that…"

"She hasn't really been taking it well," the boy said. "But, can you blame her? I mean, I lost Saki-senpai, but I've only known her for a few months. I could get over that. Yukiko… Chie's known her her whole life."

 _These guys are too far in… There's gotta be something I can do… But what? I can't tell them who I am._

"Hey, listen." He pulled my attention back to him. "Look, if I were you, I would just go back home. It's too dangerous here. If you think you're gonna help, then sorry to disappoint you, but this is not the time to be messing around. Not when there's an actual killer on the loose. I mean, what can a high school student do?" _Sorry, but I'm on a mission. I'm not turning back._

"Not much, but a detective can do quite a bit." I pulled out my badge to show him that I wasn't messing around.

"Holy shit, dude… You… you're not actually a student, are you?" _Good job, Naoto. Way to go undercover._

"No. It's just to disguise my real reason for being here. We have an idea of who the next victim is going to be, and I'm going to save him and catch the killer. It'll be-"

"Take me with you!" Chie had finally stopped crying and lunged toward me again, grabbing my legs. "Please… You have to…" _Great. Now they want to get even more involved._

"No. It's too dangerous. You'll only get yourself killed."

"I watch kung fu movies all the time. I'll be fine!" _Yeah, she's definitely gonna get herself killed._ "And besides… I've already lost someone close to me because of this killer. If there's any way I can help, I'll do it."

"So will I." The boy jumped in. "This killer has taken away people we loved. If there's a way to stop him, then we'll do everything we can to see it happen."

 _Damn, these two are persistent. But… They've been through so much. If they want revenge against the killer, then they should at least get a chance… No. They're just civilians. It's too dangerous... but if I'm there to protect them..._

"Alright. You two can come with me."

"Really? Thank you so much!" Chie screamed, gaining a quick burst of energy before calming down to a more serious mood. "We won't let you down. I know we're just students, but we _will_ help you."

"It will be dangerous, though. I'll expect you to be careful, alright?"

"Yeah. We will. You can count on it." Chie's face was filled with determination, as was her friend's. _This isn't a game to them. They're serious about catching this guy. We'll just have to see what they're capable of._

"Oh! I haven't introduced myself! My name's Chie Satonaka! And this guy over here is Yosuke Hanamura!"

"Yeah, I think I could've told her my name." Yosuke sighed in exasperation.

"Well, you should've said something!" Chie retorted. _She seems to be cheering up._

"Anyway, you said you had an idea of who the next victim was, right?" Yosuke asked me. _Well, they're already in on this, might as well tell them._

"Kanji Tatsumi. He's a first year student here, right?"

"Yeah, but you're not gonna find him here. The guy almost never shows up. He's probably in a dark alley somewhere beating up another biker gang." Chie told me. _Biker gangs, huh? Just when I thought this guy couldn't get any worse._

"Do you know where I can find him?"

"Not really. If you can wait a bit until we get out of school, we can go looking together." Yosuke said. "Besides, we're a team now, right?" _Teaming up with these two, huh? I guess I'll see what they're capable of soon._

"Yeah. I'll see you after school, then."

Chie headed back inside. I was about to head inside as well until Yosuke stopped me. "Hey, look. Keep an eye on Chie, okay? She might seem happy now, but she just doesn't want you to know how she really feels. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, okay?" Before I could say anything, he turned around and went inside, too. _Chie… Don't worry. I won't let anything happen._

After that, I went inside to look for the faculty office. _The staff have probably been waiting a while. How long was I out anyway? And how did I even get knocked out in the first place?_

 _…_

 _I'm thinking too hard about this. First, the faculty office, then look for Kanji._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4: You Sayin' I Like Dudes?**

 _ **Afternoon, 1F hallway**_

"Hey, you! What're you doing wandering the halls? You should be in class, you little shithead!"

 _I take it this guy didn't get the memo._ I ran into him looking for the faculty office. A gangly old man in a blue suit with an overbite that threatened to fall out of his mouth at any moment. Needless to say, he was not happy to see me. "My name is Naoto Shirogane. The police should've informed you of my arrival." _Who does this guy think he is?_

"Oh… You're that snot-nosed brat the police sent to protect us. Listen here, you son of a bitch, we don't need some random horny little shitface here to protect us. Damn kids like you should just go home and let the adults do the work." _And this guys already pissing me off. What I wouldn't give to see him hanging from a telephone pole right about now._

"I'll have you know that I was brought here for a reason. If you don't like it, you don't have to, but you have no power to overturn my orders. Now, if you could show me to the faculty office, that would be helpful, but if not, then kindly return to your class that you're clearly ditching." He stood there for a moment, thinking about something before he spoke again.

"...Fine. You win, brat. Come on, I'll take you to the office." He grabbed my arm and pulled me along to the office. _Damn, he really doesn't like me._ We eventually came to the faculty office. He pulled me in and sat me down, giving me a look that was

"Alright, here's the deal. You're in first year, class one. Do whatever you want, but keep the students out of it." _Should've said that a bit earlier, not like I would've listened to you, asshole._ "Other than that, I don't give a shit."

The bell rang after he said his piece. _Oh, thank goodness… I can't stand another minute with this guy._ "Finally, now get out of here. If you need anything, my name is Kinshiro Morooka, but you'd better not need anything from me." _Not planning on it… asshole._ Wanting nothing more to do with Morooka, I quickly left the room.

 _"Detective Prince, my ass…"_

* * *

As I was walking out, Chie and Yosuke found me. They ran up to me, ready for action. _Let's just hope they don't get themselves in trouble._

"Yo! Naoto-kun! You ready?" Chie yelled at the top of her lungs. _Well she seems excited. Wasn't she just crying her eyes out a couple hours ago?_ "Hey, you alright? You seem mad…"

"I'm not mad, I just had a... bit of an argument with a Kinshiro Morooka. He's-"

"EWW! You met King Moron!?" Yosuke recoiled in disgust.

"Is that what you call him? It really suits him."

"Yeah, he's our homeroom teacher, second year, class two." _Shit, these guys are older than me…_ "No one really likes him, so we all just call him King Moron," Yosuke explained.

"So…" Chie started, "We ready to find Kanji?" _She's not going to let this go, is she?_

"I suppose so. Let's get going."

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Chie yelled, running outside. _What is with her? She wasn't this hyperactive earlier…_

"You know, Chie's been really excited about this. It's all she could talk about today." Yosuke said, coming up next to me. "Thanks again, Naoto-kun. This could be just what she needs to move on." He ran after Chie, leaving me behind.

 _Moving on, huh? She's an interesting one, that's for sure. I'd better get going, too. They'll probably get themselves killed without me._ Not wasting any more time, I ran after Yosuke and Chie, meeting up with them at the gate.

* * *

I caught up to them before they headed out. They seemed to be a bit too excited for this. _Alright Naoto, this should be easy. Just keep them alive and out of trouble and we should be good._

"Hey, Naoto-kun! What took you so long? Come on, let's get going!" Chie yelled.

"My apologies, let's go now." _The sooner we go, the better chance of us finding Kanji before it's too late._ I started to walk away from the school, Chie and Yosuke close behind.

 _"Hey Chie! You, uh… where are you going?"_

Chie immediately tensed up upon hearing the voice. When I turned around to see who was talking, I instantly regretted it. An ugly male student, with a face that would give me nightmares for months, was staring directly at Chie. _Who is this guy? Okay, Naoto, calm down. Must resist urge to vomit…_

"None of your business, that's where!" Chie yelled back. She turned back to us with a scowl on her face. "Come on guys, let's get going…" I could tell she was pissed. _Did this guy do something to her or something?_

"Hey!" He yelled back. "I was asking a question. Where are-"

He didn't get a chance to finish before Chie sent a flying kick to his groin. "AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" She grabbed us and pulled us away before he had a chance to recover.

* * *

 _ **Central Shopping District, North**_

We didn't stop until we stopped in front of a textile shop. _Tatsumi Textiles... no doubt this is Kanji's family's store._ When we finally stopped, Yosuke collapsed to the ground, out of breath. "I can't breathe… Chie… Don't pull us… so fast… next time…" he cried before getting up, supporting himself on a streetlight.

"I wouldn't have had to if that creep didn't show up. I mean really, what's his deal?" she asked. _I don't know who this guy is, but if he's always as creepy as he was today, then why has he not been arrested yet?_

"Who was that kid anyway?" I asked.

"His name's Mitsuo. Mitsuo Kubo. He's a creepy perv, but you probably already figured that out." Chie sat down and lost some energy for a moment. "He used to pull that shit on Yukiko all the time. And after she died, well… he started to do it to me. Like… like he didn't even care. He just wanted a pair of boobs in his face or something." _Perv, I suppose that's just another good reason to dress like a boy, though. Respect from my peers, and no eyes from the creepers. Seems like a pretty good deal._

 _Still… This guy's got issues. How could he just get over Yukiko's death like that? As if she never existed to him._

"Eh, who cares?" Chie said, returning to her energetic self. "He's just another perv. Besides, we're investigating murders right now. I mean, it's not like he's gonna up and kill someone anytime soon, right?" _I suppose so. I'll have to check him for any past charges, but I think we can safely say that he's not our killer._

"Yeah, let's just ignore him for now. We need to find Kanji." Yosuke said, looking around. He wandered aimlessly until someone emerged from the alley.

"And just who the hell's lookin' for me?" The guy asked, scowling. _Blonde hair, angry eyes, too many piercings… Yep, definitely Kanji._

"Woah! W-where did you come from?" Yosuke asked nervously. _Great. H_ _e's gonna get his ass kicked. I'd better step in._ "Um… nice weather we're having?" _Idiot._

"Yosuke, shut up and let me do the talking." I said, stepping in before he got his head smashed in. "You're Kanji Tatsumi, yes?"

"What's it to ya?" He shot back.

"My name is Naoto Shirogane. I come with a message. This series of murders through the town have not stopped. The killer is still out there, and you're the next victim."

"Wait, you serious? Shit, man…" He said, lowering his guard. _Well, that was easier than I thought. Guess now I just need to-_ "Wait a sec, why the hell should I believe that? How would you even know?" _And there goes that plan._ "Wait! You're the killer, aren't ya? You sick bastard! I'm gonna beat your ass, you hear me!?" He yelled, getting into a fighting stance.

 _Shit. I need to do something before this gets ugly._

"Um, Naoto-kun?" Chie asked, her and Yosuke clinging to each other in fear. "Can we run now?"

"No. I've got a plan." _Dojima-san, I know I'm supposed to be undercover, but I don't have much of a choice now._ I took out my badge and put it in front of him. "I'm not the killer. I'm on the police force. Would the killer really be a police officer of all things?"

"Oh, you're with those bastards." He said, seemingly getting angrier. "Why should I believe your bullshit? You cops are all the same, tryin' to pull shit on me. Well not anymore! Time to get bent, ya son of a bitch!" He yelled, launching himself at me.

"Come on, Naoto-kun! Let's go!" Yosuke yelled, grabbing my arm and dragging me away right before my face was punched in. We ran away, Kanji close behind.

"Get back here, ya bastards! You're gonna get it now!"

* * *

 _ **Junes Department Store**_

We had finally lost Kanji when we arrived at Junes. _Well, that happened. We should be okay, though._ "Is it safe to stop here?" I asked.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Yosuke responded. "My dad's the manager of Junes. If Kanji comes in here, I can have security chase him away." _Manager's son, huh? That might be useful information to know._

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Chie asked. "We told Kanji, and he tried to kill us! What now?"

"There's only one thing we can do," I told her. "We need to keep trying."

"Are you insane!?" She shot back. "You saw how this ended, right? It's a bad idea."

"Y'know, I kinda have to agree with her. This is getting dangerous." Yosuke said. _Didn't I tell you that_ _? You idiots need to learn to listen…_

"Fine, then go home. You're of no use to me if you panic over the first sign of danger."

"What!? You can't!" They yelled simultaneously. "Please, we'll do anything!" They dropped to the floor, begging. _You pathetic children…_

"Fine. We've done all we can. We should try again tomorrow, when he's in a better mood."

 _"Who's in a better mood?"_ came a voice stepping off the elevator. A familiar face carrying a bag full of cabbages strolled up to us. "How's it goin', Shirogane?" _Tohru Adachi, the single most incompetent man on the force. He might be an idiot, but his heart's in the right place. Plus, he has Dojima-san to keep him in check. I just wish he would show me some respect._

"Adachi-san… Shouldn't you be working?"

"Huh?" He asked, surprised. "I-uh… Of course. I'm just getting some groceries." _Some groceries? That bag is filled with nothing but cabbages. What is your deal?_ "So how's the case coming?"

"Well, we told Kanji, but he doesn't believe us. We're gonna talk to him again tomorrow. Hopefully he's in a better mood then."

"Of course. Well, I'd better get going. I don't want Dojima-san yelling at me again." He said, walking away. "Oh, and you didn't see me here, okay?" _Do I have a choice?_

"Fine, just get going." I told him. With that, he ran off. _Hopefully he'll actually help us find the killer instead of slacking off in Junes. One day, maybe._

"So, now what?" Chie asked.

"We go home. Let's meet up tomorrow after school. We might be able to do more when we're rested."

"Then I'm going. It's getting pretty late. Later, guys!" Chie said before leaving.

"I need to go, too. I've got work to do. See ya!" Yosuke told me before he stepped into an elevator.

 _Well, today's been weird. What's with these people?_ With no one left, I decided to head back to Dojima-san's house for the day.

* * *

 _ **Evening, Samegawa Flood Plain**_

"Hey, you!"

As I was walking home, Kanji saw me and decided to approach me. _Please don't try to fight me. I'd rather not have to shoot you._

"Listen, about what you said today… are you serious?" He asked, considerably less aggressively than earlier. _Well he seems to have calmed down. That was surprisingly fast._

"I don't joke around, Tatsumi-san. You are the next target." _But why do you only believe me now? Don't you dislike the police? Or is it because I'm your age? Of course that's what it is…_

"Damn… So now what?" _That's a good question. I honestly haven't thought this far._

 _Come on, Naoto, just give him some advice. How hard can it be?_

"Stay home. Don't go to school." _Not like I needed to tell you that._ "Stay hidden. I'll check on you in a few days. Don't worry. The police have eyes on you. They're not gonna let anything happen."

"For how long though?" _Shit…_

"Until we can be sure you are safe. I can't really give you any specifics."

"Better than nothin', I guess." He sighed deeply. "Hey, Shirogane-san?" He said, moving very close to me. _Woah! Personal space! Personal space!_ "Thanks… don't tell anyone I said this, but... I'm actually kinda scared right now. I mean, someone is actually trying to kill me… Don't let anything happen, okay?"

"You can count on me, Tatsumi-san." _I can feel your breath on my face. Are you just gonna stay there?_ We stood there in an awkward silence, gazing into each other's eyes for what seemed to be an eternity.

 _"Ow!"_

 _"Hey be careful! We're gonna get caught!"_

 _"Well maybe you shouldn't have pushed me!"_

 _"You tripped over your own feet! What the hell did I do!?"_

At that point, Kanji had enough. He broke away and turned toward the bushes. "Hey! Who's out there!?" He ran to the bushes and pulled out the people, none other than Chie and Yosuke. _Why? Why? What the hell are you idiots doing here!?_

"Um… hey, guys… What's… up?" Chie aid nervously.

"What the hell are you idiots here for?" Kanji asked threateningly.

"I uh… Well we were worried about Naoto-kun, so we kinda sorta followed him here. Then we saw you! So we hid! And we saw you talking and you two got really really close so we got closer because we were thinking you might be gay! Not that there's anything wrong with that but-"

"Chie, Stop! You're just making him angrier!" Yosuke yelled, covering her mouth.

"Wait… Did you say gay?" _Idiots, both of you…_ "You sayin' I like dudes?" Kanji asked, looking much angrier than he did a second ago.

"Well, uh…" Chie laughed, clearly terrified. "You see, uh… RUN!" She yelled, grabbing Yosuke and running away as fast as she could.

"Hey, wait!" Kanji shouted, running after them. "Hold on a sec! It's not like that!"

 _It's official. I'm surrounded by idiots._

* * *

 _ **Dojima Residence**_

 _What a day… I was able to keep the idiots alive… for now. Alright, let's see… Kubo… Kubo…_

"You okay, Shirogane?" Dojima-san asked. He was sitting across from me drinking a cup of coffee, while I was browsing a mountain of profiles. "Who're you looking for?"

"Mitsuo Kubo. You got anything on him?"

"Nope. Never heard of him. Why?" He asked. _Guess he's not too dangerous… I'd better keep an eye on him, though._

"Just wondering. His behavior is concerning, but It's nothing to be worried about yet." I said, taking a sip of my own coffee. _At least nothing worth sending an entire squadron after._

"If you say so." He sighed. "So, how did Kanji take the news?"

"Surprisingly, he believed me, though it took him some time. He's going to lay low until it's safe. Officers are stationed in and around Tatsumi Textiles, yes?"

"Don't worry. I took care of all that while you were out." He chuckled. "I knew bringing you in was a good idea. Maybe it was just because of your age, but that might be why he took you more seriously." He said proudly. _Of course it's my age. That's all anyone notices about me._ He finished the last of his coffee and stood up. "I think I'm gonna hit the sack early. You should get some sleep, too." He then turned away and headed upstairs. "Nanako! Don't stay up too late."

"Okay, dad!" she replied from the living room, turning her attention away from the TV momentarily. With nothing better to do, I cleaned up the table, finished my coffee, and headed up to my room.

* * *

When I went to my room, the first thing I saw was the TV, taunting me from the wall. The silhouette was nowhere to be seen. _Why? What was that thing?_ Without thinking, I reached my hand toward the TV. _Maybe it glitched last night?_ _Come on Naoto, this is stupid. Just go to bed._ My hand finally met the TV screen, no silhouette.

All of a sudden, something grabbed my hand and tried pulling it into the TV. _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! What the fuck!?_ I desperately pulled my hand away, to no avail. The TV was dragging me in, swallowing my arm. I pulled and pulled, and with enough force, I was able to save my arm. Unfortunately, the force sent me flying into the desk, hitting my head on it. "AAAGGGGGHHHH!" _Oh shit. Naoto, shut up. People are sleeping._

"Are you okay?" Nanako said outside my door. _Great, I woke up the kid…_

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Okay. Get some rest, alright?" With that, footsteps went away from my room and a door shut nearby.

 _What the hell was that?_ I wanted to investigate more, but as exhausted as I was, I couldn't think of anything besides sleep. I pulled myself into my futon and quickly drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5: Backside of the TV**

 _ **Tuesday, May 17, 2011, Early Morning, Sunny, Dojima Residence**_

 _That was a strange dream I had last night. Maybe I should lay off the late night coffee. I mean, come on, getting eaten by the TV? Ridiculous… If I stick my hand on the screen, it's not really gonna go in. Then again… that dream seemed pretty real… Screw it._ I slowly reached my hand toward the TV again.

The results should have been physically impossible. The TV took my hand once again and began pulling me inside. _Shit, not again! Why is this happening!?_ I quickly pulled my hand away and ran downstairs and out the door in a panic.

* * *

 _ **Yasogami High School, Rooftop, Lunchtime**_

 _Ugh. I forgot what a pain it is to be back in school. Oh well. Assuming everything goes well, I shouldn't be here for long._ I ate slowly, wanting to savor what peace I could find. I enjoyed my lunch until the door opened and Yosuke and Chie popped out. _Oh great. The idiots are here._

"Yo! Naoto-kun!" Chie yelled. "What are you doing up here?"

"Well, I _was_ trying to relax, but it looks like that's not happening anymore."

"Geez, what crawled up your ass today?" she retorted. _Yeah, these guys aren't gonna help me get anything done._

 _Wait a second... Junes is a big department store. There's bound to be an electronics section inside, which means they must have plenty of TV's._

"Yosuke-senpai. Can you take us to Junes after school?"

"Why would you wanna go there?" he asked. "It's just a department store. Nothin' to get too excited about. Are you thinkin' of looking for the killer there? I seriously doubt a serial killer would be hanging around Junes." _He's got a point, but since I got this power shortly after I arrived to investigate, it's possible that there's a link between it and the killer._

"There's something I need to check there. It shouldn't take too long."

"Alright man, we'll go after school, then. Chie, you comin' with us?" He turned to Chie, who was currently staring off into space.

"Huh!?" She snapped. "Oh, to Junes? I'll go if you guys are."

"Then it's settled. Let's meet there after school." I said before returning to my lunch. Chie and Yosuke sat with me, and the three of us ate in awkward silence.

* * *

 _ **After** **School, Cloudy, Junes Electronics Department**_

"So… Why did you bring us here again?" Yosuke asked, making me question why I was attempting this.

 _Alright Naoto, let's get this over with…_ "I need to show you something. You're not going to believe me if I just tell you, so I need you to actually see it."

"Alright, I guess, but what does this have to do with the TV?" he asked.

"You see, something's been happening recently. I'm not sure how, but I have the power to go inside a TV." I was met with a long silence after I said that. _And they think I'm crazy now…_ Out of nowhere, Chie suddenly collapsed to the ground, bursting with laughter.

"Hahahaha! Naoto-kun… In a TV… Haha! A TV! Holy shit… I can't… breathe…"

With no other choice, I decided that I had to show them now, before Chie could attract any attention to us. Without thinking, I shoved my hand into the large display TV next to me. It went straight through, and the stunned silence from Yosuke and the obnoxious laughter from Chie turned into screams of terror.

"What did you do!? How!? What the hell!?" Chie screamed.

"I'm not sure. It just kind of happened one day."

"How can you be so calm about this!? You're being eaten by a TV!" _It's not eating me, though… At least, it's not trying to pull me in._

"Dude, this is real bad! You gotta stop doing that! What if people see!? You're gonna draw attention to us!" Yosuke screamed, running around like a headless chicken. _Yeah, I'm the one drawing attention here…_

"Come on, stop that!" Chie ran up to pull my hand away. Yosuke hadn't stopped panicking. He was headed straight for us. _Oh no… Please tell me this isn't happening._

"Senpai! Slow down!"

It was too late. He was running too fast. Almost as soon as I called to him, we collided. I could feel myself falling backwards, Chie and Yosuke's weight following me, and the feeling that I once felt in my hand had engulfed my entire body. The bright lights of Junes disappeared as we fell into a long chasm of darkness, seeing nothing and only hearing my companions screams.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

 _ **?**_

"Oof!"

After a long fall, we finally hit the ground. Surprisingly, we didn't die from it. _Where are we?_ I picked myself up and looked around, but everywhere I turned, there was nothing but fog. I couldn't even see two feet in front of me.

"Hey, Naoto-kun! Where are you?" Chie called out. _Oh good, at least they're still alive._

"I'm over here. Is Yosuke-senpai with you?"

"Yeah…" He answered. "I think I cracked my ass... Ugghhh… I need to take a piss…" _Oh come on. Why now of all times?_

"Well you should've thought about that before you pushed us all in here!" Chie yelled.

"I didn't think we'd actually fall in!" _You saw me sticking my hand in, right?_ "Come on. Let's just find a way back so I can pee…"

"Uh, have you looked around here? There _is_ no way back! We're trapped!" _As much as I want to tell Chie-senpai she's wrong, I can't think of a way to get out myself. Still, I need to calm them down before we all die in here._

"Both of you stop talking!" They immediately stopped and turned to me. "Look, I don't know where we are or how to get out of here, but yelling at each other isn't going to help us. If we want to get out, then we need to get moving. There doesn't seem to be an exit in this area."

"Okay, but how are we supposed to move when we can't see anything?" Chie asked.

"Carefully, and stay together. We don't know how dangerous this place is yet."

"Dangerous? Uh…" Both of them went silent at this. _Looks like they finally figured it out._

"My line of work is incredibly dangerous, even more so in an unknown area like this. It's very likely that we could all die here. This isn't a game anymore. The risk is high, and the cost of failure is your life."

"Yeah. I know…" Chie said. "But we've already made up our minds. We're sticking with you till this case is solved. We're not that tough now, but we'll only get stronger, just you watch! We have to keep going, for Yukiko's sake!"

"Yeah!" Yosuke added. "We're not going to just sit back and watch. We're gonna solve this case, no matter how dangerous it gets! Besides, it's not like we have a choice right now anyway. We're all getting out of here together!"

 _They're that determined, huh? So be it._ "Then let's get moving. Stay close, got it? We don't know what could be lurking here."

Most of the journey was uneventful. Aside from almost tripping over my own feet a few times and Yosuke's incessant complaining about his bladder problems, nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Eventually we came across a strange, red and black portal inside a building we came across.

"Woah… What is that thing?" Chie pondered with curiosity.

"Stay back, senpai. We don't know what's in there." _Honestly, you would think something suspicious like this would be a warning sign, right?_

"Dude, come on. You said it's gonna be dangerous anyway, right? So why not?" Yosuke asked. _Because I don't want to just walk right into a trap and throw my life away, moron!_

"You guys never-"

"I'm goin' in. Later guys!" Chie said before immediately jumping in.

"Chie, wait up!" Yosuke followed shortly after.

 _… What the fuck, senpai? Great… How stupid can they get?_ Resisting the urge to shoot myself right then and there, I reluctantly stepped forward into the portal.

* * *

 _ **Desolate Bedroom**_

The fog cleared when I arrived on the other side, but I kind of wish it didn't. Right when I came in, there was a noose hanging right in front of me in the middle of the rook. On the wall of the room, there were multiple posters with the face ripped off, and blood spattered everywhere. _What the? What happened here?_

"Uh, Naoto-kun? What is this place?" Chie asked as I headed toward the wall.

"It seems to be just an abandoned bedroom, but stay on your guard. We don't know what's hiding over here." I said, trying to keep her in check.

"Yeah… but hey, at least we can see in here." Chie sighed with relief. _That's a good point_ _. Why did the fog clear up in here?_

"Yes… I'm gonna look around. You two stay out of trouble." I told them, knowing they wouldn't listen. _Alright, Naoto, let's see what we have here…_ I examined the noose. It surprisingly hasn't seen use. I then checked the blood on the wall, but it was completely dried up. _Whatever happened in this room, it happened a long time ago._

Near the blood, I looked at the torn poster. _Her face is ripped off, but it's still recognizable. There's no doubt about it. Misuzu Hiiragi. Enka singer and wife of Taro Namatame. Namatame… He was having an affair with Yamano-san… Maybe Hiiragi-san found out and… No. She's been overseas since long before the murders began. Then… Could this be Yamano-san's room? In a TV? What the hell is going on?_

"Hey, what's in here?" Chie asked, opening a mini fridge. _What part of stay out of trouble do you not understand!?_ "Dammit, it's empty…" She lamented.

"Agh! I can't take it anymore!" Yosuke yelled, turning toward a corner. "I'm gonna pee right here!" _Oh god, please don't…_ It was too late. The pants unzipped, and the stream started to flow. _I'll need to put some bleach in my coffee tonight…_

"Yosuke! You sick fuck! What's wrong with you!?" Chie yelled.

"Hey, I can't hold it forever!" He retorted. _These idiots… There's no reason to stay here anymore. I can't find anything useful. I'll have to take note of this room for later though, just in case._

"Hey!" I yelled, getting their attention, catching Yosuke mid-zip. "The exit's not here, and there's nothing else in this room. Let's get going before something happens." I said, stepping back through the portal.

* * *

 _ **?**_

We returned to the foggy building, but we weren't alone. Out of nowhere, there was a low growling, almost unnoticeable, but definitely there. _Alright Naoto, stay calm…_

"What the hell was that!?" Yosuke yelled, panicking.

"Senpai, quiet!" The growling slowly dissipated. _Where'd it go? Okay, we need to be careful._ We started walking out of the building when we were ambushed by monsters. Two giant mouths with tongues that looked extremely deadly. _Oh shit…_

"RUN!" Chie and Yosuke simultaneously yelled, running past me. Not wanting to be left to die, I ran after them, firing shots behind me to try and scare them away.

* * *

We ran outside into the fog. Though I couldn't see them, I knew those monsters had us surrounded. _Shit… Is this the end? Getting eaten by monsters in a TV? What a way to go…_

"Chie! Help! I don't wanna die!" Yosuke yelled at the top of his lungs, clinging to Chie desperately.

"What the hell do you expect me to do!?" She screamed back, still clinging to him.

 _Especially because I'm gonna die with these idiots…_ I closed my eyes, knowing there was nothing I could do, preparing for the worst.

 _I am thou…_

 _Thou art I…_

 _The time has come…_

 _Open thy eyes and call forth what is within…_

Out of nowhere, a tarot card appeared in my hand. I was surrounded by a powerful energy as I held the card up. _huh? What is this card for?_ I instinctively held my gun up to the card, and shot at it, a name coming to me as I did.

 _"Izanagi!"_

As the card broke, a figure emerged. A tall, gray figure with a sword in his hand, ready to fight. He charged forward, carving up the monsters with ease. _Woah… What just happened?_ Monster blood spewed everywhere as he slashed them up and stabbed them in their mouths, finally causing them to disentigrate. _Holy shit… did I do that?_

"Uh, Naoto-kun?" Chie cautiously asked. "How did you do that?"

"I wish I knew." I said, putting away my gun. As I did, Izanagi disappeared, the card reforming in my hand. _This card… That demon… What's happening? Nothing here makes any sense…_ "I have to look into this. I honestly have no idea." I started to return to where I thought we came from when a voice pierced through the fog.

 _"Yeah, a likely story, thief!"_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6: Bearsona!**

 _ **?**_

Emerging from the fog was a strange, blue, bear-like creature wearing what looked like a red clown suit. He was clearly angry as he marched toward me. _Thief? Why am I being accused of being a thief by a bear of all things?_

"So… Who are you?" I asked the bear awkwardly.

"Oh, me?" he responded sheepishly. "I'm Teddie! It's nice to meet ya! I've been on my own for a while, so it's nice to see…" he paused, something clicking in his brain. "Wait a second! I see what you're trying to do! You're trying to distract me so you can escape, aren't ya? Well it ain't gonna work, punk!" He yelled.

 _Punk? Me? What do I look like, Kanji? And what kind of mood swing was that?_

"Uh… No…"

"Hey, Naoto-kun, who is this guy?" Yosuke asked me.

"How should I know? Anyway… Teddie, why do you think I'm a thief?" I asked, turning back to him.

"That persona!" He said, pointing at the card in my hand. _Persona? What the hell is a persona? This card?_ "You stole that from Sensei! Now give it back!" He commanded, holding his… paw out. _Sensei? Someone else has been here besides us?_

"Wait a second, who is Sensei?" I asked, hoping he'd clarify.

"Sensei is Sensei, duh!" He told me with a completely serious look on his face. _You know… I'm pretty sure I should've seen that answer coming…_

"Yes, but who exactly is Sensei? What's he like?" Before I got an answer, Chie pulled me aside.

"Hey, Naoto-kun, What are you doing?" Chie whispered.

"Gathering information." I whispered back before turning to Teddie. "So. Sensei. What's he like?"

"Oh, Sensei? He's my hero!" He squealed with delight. "Sensei just showed up one day out of the blue and started fighting shadows. He was so beary strong!" _Great. You're just gonna spew bear puns all day, aren't you?_

"Shadows?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah! Like those things that were chasing you! Sensei fought so many of them, and he got super powerful! He was so cool! He even helped me get a bit of a boost!" He exclaimed, flexing his nonexistent muscles.

"He sounds tough. What was his name?" _If I can just get a name, I'll be able to find out a lot about this guy._

"His name is…" He started to answer, then hesitated, unsure. "Actually, I don't think he ever told me his name! Silly bear! I really should've asked!" _Shit. Still, I'm not exactly surprised._ "Wait a second! You're trying to distract me again!" he snapped back. _Are we seriously back to this now?_

"Look. I didn't steal this from anyone. I don't know how I got it, and if I really stole it, wouldn't I be trying to get away right now?" _Hopefully this'll get the bear to calm down._

"… Alright, I believe you, but I've got my eye on you!" _Well, that was easy._ "Y'know, you'd probably like Sensei. You two are a lot alike. I wish you could meet him, but he stopped coming a few days ago… Maybe something happened to him… No Teddie! Bad bear! He's out there somewhere, I know it!"

"Maybe so…" _And if you knew his name, we could find him a lot faster._ "Anyway, Teddie, do you know how to get out of here?"

"Aww, already? Fine, I'll get you out of here… Make sure you come back sometime, though. Sensei hasn't been coming by and the others that come here are trapped by powerful shadows."

 _What? Others? Here? How?_

"Teddie… There were others in here?" I asked carefully.

"Oh yeah! Starting about a month ago, a few people have been thrown in the TV. I tried to find them, but there are tons of big shadows guarding them. I don't stand a chance against them. I could do it with Sensei, but I couldn't figure out how to bring it up to him, plus they die after a few weeks and, well…" Teddie lamented. _Could these people be the victims?_

"Hey, Teddie." Yosuke stepped forward. "Did a girl named Saki Konishi fall in here?" _Yosuke…_

"Uh… I dunno... I'm gonna need more information." Teddie replied, shrugging.

"Her parents run a liquor store in the shopping district, but she-" Yosuke answered before being interrupted.

"I got it! Liquor store, eh? Follow me! I'll take you there!" He shouted before running off into the fog.

"Teddie, wait!" Yosuke yelled. "We can't see in this fog!"

A short moment later, Teddie came back through the fog. "Oh, right. You can't see. Alright, hang on a sec." Teddie then pulled his head off and reached his hand inside. _You know what? I've seen enough shit in one day. Nothing can surprise me anymore._

"Ahh! Dude, what are you doing!?" Yosuke screamed.

"Hey, calm down, will you? Alright, here we go." Teddie said, pulling his hand out, carrying three pairs of glasses and reattaching his head. "Tada! My super special Teddie glasses! Now you can see through the fog!" He went around to us, passing the yellow pair to Chie, the orange to Yosuke, and the blue pair to me. Putting them on, the fog immediately dissipated. We were in what looked to be a giant studio stage set. _Interesting. Just how do these glasses work? I'll need to examine these later._

"Woah! This is crazy!" Yosuke said in awe.

"Looks better, right?" Teddie asked. "Alright then, to the liquor store!" He yelled before running in the opposite direction.

"Hey, wait up!" Yosuke cried before running after him. I was about to run when I noticed Chie standing there. _She hasn't said anything this whole time…_

"Hey, Chie. You alright?" I asked, turning to her. _What's gotten into her?_

"Yukiko…" She whispered to herself. "Naoto-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Yukiko died in this world, and Kanji's probably gonna get thrown in here, too. All of them were… We can't let anyone else die in here!" She proclaimed, fire in her eyes. "Let's do this, Naoto-kun. Together. We will save everyone else who get's thrown in here!"

 _Chie… Are you sure? No… I know I can't change your mind._

"Right, let's do this."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7: The True Self**

 _ **Twisted Shopping District**_

We arrived in front of a lone building on a dark, empty street. Strangely enough, it was an exact replication of the liquor store in the shopping district. _I can't believe it… How is this possible?_ Out of nowhere, voices began to echo around us.

 _"I wish Junes would go under…"_

 _"It's all because of that store…"_

 _"Oh, I heard Konishi-san's daughter is working there. Oh my… How could she, with her family's business suffering like it is? I heard their sales have gone downhill because of Junes."_

 _"That poor father… To have his own daughter working for the enemy. What a troublesome child…"_

"Dude, is this for real?" Yosuke asked, shocked.

"Well, duh! This is definitely the place." Teddie explained. "There's not much left here, though. Most of the shadows cleared out after she died."

"Good enough for me!" Yosuke yelled, charging directly into the store. _Yosuke, you idiot. Do you want to die?_

"Hey, wait up!" Chie yelled, running after him, Teddie following close behind.

 _I can't believe these guys. Did they forget that we almost died earlier?_

* * *

I went in after them to keep them from getting killed. Inside, it seemed like just a regular liquor store. Not a thing was out of place. _It's too quiet in here… What's going on? What kind of world is this?_

"Senpai? Senpai!?" Yosuke called out. _She's dead, you idiot. What are you expecting?_ As soon as I thought that, a rough, masculine voice came from above.

 _"Saki, how many times do I have to tell you!?"_

"Woah, is that… Senpai's dad?" Yosuke pondered. The voice continued speaking.

 _"You know what the neighbors say about you, right!? Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You're the eldest daughter of a family who's owned this store for generations! Is it the money? Or did you meet some guy there? Just tell me why you had to work THERE, of all places!"_

"Saki-senpai worked part time at Junes until she died." Chie whispered to me. _I suppose that explains that voice, abandoning the family business and all_ _. Still, why would she? Was it for Yosuke?_

"I don't get it…" Yosuke lamented. "Senpai always seemed so happy at work… I can't believe she was hiding all this…" He walked up to the counter, where a torn up photo was sitting. It was of Saki and Yosuke standing together, smiling. "What the… Why is it all cut up like this? What's this about!? Why, Senpai, why!?"

As if on cue, the voice came back, this time a much younger, female voice.

 _"I never had a chance to say it…"_

"Senpai! Where are you!?" Yosuke cried out. _She's dead, Yosuke. It's just an illusion…_

 _"I always wanted to tell Hana-chan…"_

"What is it, Senpai!? Tell me!"

 _"… That he was a real pain in the ass. I was nice to him just because he was the store manager's son, that's all. But he takes it completely the wrong way and gets all enthusiastic… What a dip. Who cares about Junes, anyway? Because of that store, our business is ruined, my parents hate me, the neighbors talk behind my back… I wish everything would just disappear."_

"Senpai? Is this… How you really feel?" Yosuke asked quietly. "Am I… a pain in the ass? No, that can't be! We had something… Right?" _Yosuke..._

 _"Come on, man. Are you deaf or something? She's not into you. End. Of. Story."_

I turned toward the voice to see a figure emerge from the shadows. One who looked just like Yosuke. _What the hell is going on!? Just let this nightmare end…_

"Ah! There's two Yosuke's!" Teddie jumped in surprise. The other Yosuke ignored him and kept talking.

 _"Besides, it's not like you were into her anyway. You're just bored with life in the sticks and wanted some excitement. The only reason you liked her is 'cause she had the best tits in town. Everyone else can just fuck off."_

"No! That's not true!" Yosuke yelled back. "I never thought of Senpai like that! I loved her!"

 _"Yeah, no. You loved the idea of her. You only wanted her around so you didn't have to deal with this shitty place alone. You both hated your lives, and you just wanted her around so you didn't have to think about how terrible you have it here. Well, I say fuck Junes. Fuck Inaba. Fuck everything! Life was so much better when I was back in the city!"_

"Stop it!" Yosuke shouted, but the shadow continued.

 _"Why should I? You know it's true. The only exciting thing around here is the killer. Think about it. The great Yosuke Hanamura, swooping in to save the people thrown in here. You'll be a hero! And Saki's death was the perfect motivation."_

"No, stop! I would never think something like that!"

 _"Would you, though? I think you would. I know everything about you. After all…"_ he lunged closer to Yosuke, right up to his ear.

 _"I am you…"_

Yosuke instantly pushed him away. "No way! That's not possible! You're not me!" All of a sudden, dark energy poured out from the walls and surrounded the other Yosuke, who was laughing maniacally at this point.

" _Ha! You're right. I'm not you! I'm my own person now! I'M FINALLY FREE!"_

There was a sudden flash of light. What was once another Yosuke was now a large frog demon with a sick yellow grin, waiting to pounce. _Oh, shit… This is bad…_

"Everyone, get back!" I yelled, Yosuke, Chie, and Teddie obeying and hiding behind the counter.

" _I am a shadow, the true self."_ it said, taunting us.

"Naoto-kun! Let me help!" Teddie called out from behind the counter. _Now's not the time, stupid bear._ "That thing is weak to electricity! If you use Izanagi, this battle should be a cinch!"

 _How the hell would he know something like that?_ Left without much choice, I threw the card in the air and shot at it. "Izanagi!" I yelled, summoning him from the card. We got into battle stances, prepared for the shadow's next move.

" _Ooh, a persona. I'm so scared!"_ the shadow taunted again. _"Let's see if you can handle this!"_ A large gust of wind was launched at us, knocking me back into the counter. _Ow! Why's it so strong? I don't know if I can do this… No, don't think like that! We can win!_

"Naoto-kun, here!" Teddie yelled, tossing me a bottle of something. "Drink it!" _Well, here goes nothing._ I chugged it without looking, my strength suddenly returning, as if the injuries I sustained never happened. _Woah. What was that thing?_

"It's open! Use an electric attack!" Heeding Teddie's advice, I sent Izanagi toward it, who promptly called down a bolt of lightning.

" _Agh! What the hell was that? You're gonna pay!"_ the shadow screamed. It prepared to attack, but it got struck with another lightning bolt before it could act again. While it was preoccupied, I dove behind an aisle and shot its body full of lead. _"You're gonna get it now!"_ The shadow swung its arm at me, knocking me across the floor.

While it easily pummeled me around, it wasn't able to do much to Izanagi, who was constantly enduring his attacks and returning the favor with lightning bolts. "Come on, you can do it!" Teddie yelled again. _He's right, Naoto. Let's do this._ I reloaded and shot the shadow again. This time screaming in agony. It wouldn't take too much more. With one final lightning bolt, the shadow collapsed to the ground, returning to it's Yosuke form. _Did I just… Win? We're alive... We're alive!_

"Dude, what is that thing?" Yosuke asked, coming toward me, Chie and Teddie following close behind.

"It's your shadow, Yosuke." Teddie explained. "It represents your true thoughts and desires. You need to accept it, or it will attack us again."

"Wait, really?" Yosuke asked nervously.

"Yeah, really! Now hurry up before it attacks again!" Teddie yelled.

"Okay, okay…" Yosuke turned to his shadow. "Alright, you. I give up. You're right. I do kind of hate it here. Maybe I am just trying to hide the pain. You might be me, but… whatever happens, I'm not gonna run away anymore. Saki-senpai meant something to me. This world is a chance for something new, but it's not about the glory. It's about saving lives. I'm gonna be a hero. Not for the fame, but because we can't let anyone else die in here! I'm doing it for Saki-senpai… and for my friends." he said, looking at us before turning back. "And even if she doesn't like me… She still meant something to me, and I'm gonna make sure no one else ends up like she did!"

With that, the shadow nodded, then disappeared into a bright light. When the light faded, it left behind a tarot card depicting a frog in ninja garb. Yosuke picked it up and held it close.

 _ **The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest… Yosuke has faced his other self. He has obtained the facade used to overcome life's hardships, the Persona Jiraiya!**_

"Persona…" he mumbled. _So, he got a persona, too. Still, why did he have to face a shadow and not me? This doesn't add up…_

"Alright, guys." Chie said. "This has been great and all, but how about getting out of here?" _Please. I've had enough excitement for one day._

"Yeah," Yosuke agreed. With that, we all headed out of the store. Yosuke turned back to look at it one last time before we left.

"Saki-senpai… I will avenge you…"

* * *

 _ **?**_

 _"Well, this seems promising."_

"We don't even know who this girl is, though. Don't get your hopes up. Remember, she stole his Persona."

 _"My dear, you must have faith. Fate has brought her to us for a reason."_

"Does she not seem threatening to you!? If she can take away his persona as easily as she did, then who knows what else she could do!?"

 _"We will just have to wait… and see…"_

"That's what you always say."

 _"And everytime we wait, we see. You must be patient. Time will tell all we need to know."_

* * *

 _ **Entrance**_

"Alright!" Teddie exclaimed, summoning a stack of TV's. _You know what? I don't even care how he did that. I just want some sleep right now._ "You guys can leave through here. If you're gonna come back, come in through the same TV, okay? Otherwise, you might not end up in the same place."

"Wait!" Chie yelled. "You can sniff out different places in this world, right? Is there an Amagi inn anywhere in here?"

"Hmm…" Teddie pondered, sniffing around. "Nope! Not from what I can smell."

"Great. Thanks anyway…" Chie said sadly.

"Okay, See ya, Teddie!" Yosuke said, jumping through the TV's, Chie following behind. I was about to follow them when Teddie called out to me.

"Hey, Naoto-kun?"

"Yes?"

"If you find Sensei on the other side, bring him back here sometime, okay?" _I don't even know who Sensei is. Still, it couldn't hurt to look._

"Of course." With that, I headed out, exiting the TV world.

* * *

 _ **Evening, Raining, Junes Electronics Department**_

We arrived back at Junes. Thankfully, no one noticed three teenagers crawling out of a TV. _Is it over yet?_ Before I could get my bearings, Chie spoke up.

"Okay, I'm going home. I'm too tired to think." Chie started. "Wow. It's already night. And it's raining. Maybe the Midnight Channel will be on." _Midnight Channel? Sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi manga._

"Midnight Channel?" I asked her.

"Oh! You've probably never heard of it, have you? The rumors say that when you look into a turned off TV at midnight when it's raining, you'll see your soulmate. The thing is, last month, I saw Yukiko in there, and it got way more detailed up until her disappearance. I saw Kanji in there too, just two days ago." _So, that explains the silhouette. This changes everything._

"If what you say is true, then it's likely that the Midnight Channel can predict who the next victim is." _It certainly makes more sense than just appearing on the news._ "We should watch tonight and see what happens."

"Okay." Yosuke jumped in. "Let's meet up at the food court after school tomorrow and talk about it."

"Yeah, and check up on Kanji, too. And one more thing." I took out my phone and opened it. "I need your numbers. If we're going to be working this out together, we need to stay in contact."

"Okay. Let's do it." Chie agreed, her and Yosuke bringing out their phones. After we exchanged numbers, we headed our separate ways. _Alright. Midnight Channel. Let's do this._

* * *

 _ **Dojima Residence**_

I headed directly up to my room. Dojima-san was working late, and Nanako-chan was already asleep. I looked outside my window. The rain was pouring down. After making sure, I turned around to face the TV. _Let's hope this works._ As the clock struck midnight, the TV slowly flickered on. Kanji was clear on screen, in a sauna, wearing nothing but a fundoshi, speaking with the most feminine, most flamboyant, over the top gay voice I'd ever heard.

 _"Hel-LO, dear viewers… It's time for "Bad, Bad Bathhouse"!"_

 _Oh… What the fuck am I watching?_

" _Tonight, I'll introduce a superb site for those searching for sublime love that surpasses the separation of the sexes! I'm your host, Kanji Tatsumi, serving you this scandalously special sneak-in report! Goodness gracious, just imagine the things that might happen to me there! Ooooh! Well then, let's get this show on the road! Tootaloo!"_

As the show ended, Chie called. Figuring she saw what I did, I answered it. _"Hey, did you see that?"_ she asked.

"Yep. That's definitely Kanji."

" _That was really wierd, though. I mean, I was just messing around when I said he might be gay. I didn't think he actually was! But more importantly, you know how the image got really clear all of a sudden? And how it was a video this time?"_

"Yes. What's your point?"

" _That's the exact same thing that happened with Yukiko. When the image became a video like that, she was already inside the TV!"_

 _Shit… We had police watching him and everything. That means we'd better get him out, fast._ "In that case, we'd better hurry. Get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."

" _Okay, 'night, Naoto-kun."_ with that, she hung up. Immediately after, I got another call, this time from Yosuke.

" _Hey, did you see that?"_ he asked.

"Yeah. What about it?"

 _"Well, it's just... you know... he did the thing and..."_ he choked out. _He sounds so nervous._

"Want me to send you a recording?" I asked, teasing him.

 _"Hell no!"_ he yelled before hanging up.

After laying down, I got to thinking. _What the hell was today? First we fall into a TV, then we fight shadows with 'Personas,' meet a talking bear, and then there were two Yosuke's! And now, Kanji's in the TV… Hopefully tomorrow will be a little easier, or at least make SOME sense…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8: Battle Preparations**

 _ **Wednesday, May 18, 2011, After School, Sunny, Junes Food Court**_

"Hey, Naoto-kun! Check these out!"

I turned around to see Yosuke swinging around a sharp pair of daggers in front of everyone. _Yosuke, what the fuck do you think you're doing? We're in a crowded food court! You can't just swing around weapons like that!_ People started backing away slowly, away from the madman. "Pretty cool, huh?" He asked, licking one of the blades. _Okay that's just gross. I'd better do something before the food court becomes a battleground…_

I immediately grabbed Yosuke and pushed him down onto the table, confiscated the knives, and handcuffed him. "Ow! What the hell was that for!? Let go!" Without responding, I dragged him outside behind a corner. "Answer me, dammit! What the hell is your deal today!?" _Isn't it obvious?_

"You left me with no choice. You were swinging a deadly weapon around in a public area. If I hadn't been there, another officer would've been on the scene and would've _actually_ arrested you." _I mean, come on. What kind of idiot would you have to be to do something like that?_

"Oh… right…" Yosuke sighed, embarrassed. "These could still be useful to us, though. With these, I wouldn't just have to rely on my Persona to fight. And not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty good at using these things." _I'm pretty sure licking the blade is not a smart way to use sharp weapons. If you were doing that as a joke, then grow up. If not, then you've got a lot to learn._

"You should be more mature about this. Where did you even get those, anyway?"

"From the blacksmith in the shopping district. He could probably fix something up for you, too. I can take you there if you want." He offered. _My gun isn't nearly as effective against the shadows as Izanagi. Yosuke's weapons look powerful. If he made those, then an upgrade for me certainly couldn't hurt._

"I suppose it couldn't hurt. Let's get going."

* * *

 _ **Central Shopping District, Daidara Metalworks**_

 _I feel like I just stepped back into medieval times…_

We walked into the blacksmith, instead of being like a normal shop, it looked like a legitimate armory from ancient times. Chie was inside, talking to the owner. A pair of combat boots were on the counter between them. _Oh, no… She's gonna try to fight without a Persona… Great._ Chie finished her conversation and turned around, bumping into us.

"Oof! Oh, hey guys!" Chie greeted us before running off. _She's probably going to the food court. Couldn't we have just all gone together?_

"More customers, eh? Well, come on! Take a look around! We're kinda limited for now, but I'm sure we've got somethin' you'd like!" The redheaded man behind the counter greeted with a thick Irish accent. "The name's Daidara. If ye need anythin', just ask!"

I thanked him and looked through the aisles of weapons. Yosuke leaned in toward me and guided me through all the weapons. "This is where I picked these babies up. The guns should be around the corner." I wandered around the corner to the very limited amount of guns.

"Aye, we're pretty short on guns" Daidara spoke up from behind the counter. "We've got plenty of ammo, though!" As he said, there was plenty of ammo, but few guns. Most of them being weaker than my police-grade one. I was about to leave, but the gun at the bottom of the rack caught my eye. A Peacemaker. An American military revolver mainly used in the late 1800's. It's certainly an improvement over my current gun, a Nanbu 2, but gun ownership, especially for one such as this one, is rare in Japan. _Is he even allowed to sell this? I find it hard to believe that civilians could obtain clearance for this gun._

"Somethin' caught yer eye?" He called again. Questionable legality aside, I took the gun and put it up on the counter to buy it.

"How much?"

"Fer you? Nothin'. Take it! Free of charge!" _What? Is this even a legitimate store? "_ The little lassie with the boots earlier paid for ye." He explained before leaning toward me. "She's a real sweetheart, that one. Make sure ye treat her right, alright?" _Wait, what!? Does he think we're dating!? What the hell did she say to him!?_

"I will. Yosuke!" I called into the aisles. "We're leaving!" I walked out of the store, Yosuke following behind.

* * *

 _ **Junes Food Court**_

We arrived back at the food court, where Chie was waiting for us at a table, eating a bowl of nikudon. We walked over to her and sat down. "Took you guys long enough!" She yelled when we were seated. "Why'd you take so long? The store isn't _that_ big."

"I needed to pick out the right weapon." _You knew that didn't you? That's why you paid for me, right?_ "You know, the one you bought for me. Thanks for that, by the way."

"HUH!? Oh! I, uh… um… well, uh, it's no problem… really…" she muttered softly. "You like it?"

"Yes. It's a lot better than the one the police gave me." _Alright, let's steer this back on track._ "So, shall we discuss what we saw last night?"

"Oh, hell no!" Yosuke shouted. "I don't want to see that again!" _Someone's insecure. Or maybe just in denial._

"Regardless of your feelings, we need to figure out what happened. So, Chie, you know something about this?"

"Well…" she started to explain. "When Yukiko was thrown in, it showed her as a princess wanting to find a prince and escape her old life, and she always told me about how she wanted more to her life than just working at the inn…"

"Wait, so he's really gay then? For real?" Yosuke asked nervously.

"Possibly." I jumped in,"Or it could just be symbolic. Amagi-san is by no means nobility. The Midnight Channel must be exaggerating their desires and insecurities." _I don't know if I'm right about this, but if so, then it'll give us a lot more insight to the victims._ "Look, we're wasting time. Tatsumi-san's in the TV now. We need to get him out before he dies. Do we know when that is?"

"They always die after a few days of rain." Yosuke explained. "There's always a thick fog afterwards, and, well, that's when all the victims have been showing up."

"We need to get him out before that happens, then. Come on. Let's get going."

* * *

 _ **Entrance**_

We fell into the TV world, where Teddie was waiting for us. "Oh, it's you guys! I've missed you so much! It's so lonely around here. It's so beary sad…" He sobbed. _This guy's mood swings and bear puns are too much. Is he actually gonna help us?_

"Teddie, someone was thrown in here last night. Can you take us to him?" I asked, not expecting much.

"Oh! You mean that guy!" _Who else would I be talking about, genius?_ "Well, I wish I could, but my nose is bearly functioning these days. I can't sniff people out like I used to. Maybe if you gave me more information, I could help you." _Like what? What about him will tell you what he smells like? Are you serious right now? There's no way that-_

"He get's mad when you say he likes dudes." Chie spat out.

"Hm…" Teddie pondered for a second. "I got it! Follow me, guys!" He said before running off.

"Woohoo!" Chie yelled. "Let's do this!" She ran after him, Yosuke following behind. Meanwhile, I was just standing there, dumbstruck.

 _You've GOT to be kidding me… How did that even work!? This world makes no sense..._

* * *

 _ **Bathhouse, Changing Area**_

"Oh shit…" Yosuke panicked. "This can't be right…"

"But it is!" Teddie exclaimed. "This is the place, I'm sure of it! Let's get going!" With that, we all went inside, Chie forcibly dragging Yosuke behind her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9: Destiny Averted**

 _ **Steamy Bathhouse**_

Charging into the bathhouse, we were immediately met with a horde of shadows. Yosuke reacted quickly, whipped out his Persona and released it, prepared to fight.

 _"Jiraiya!"_

The green frog jumped out, blasting the shadows away with a gust of wind. I quickly pulled my gun out, summoned Izanagi, and started shooting at the shadows. One shot was enough to kill one of them. _Damn, this gun is strong…_

After I shot two more shadows, I saw Chie being thrown against the wall out of the corner of my eye. _Shit! This is bad. She doesn't have a Persona to protect her!_ Luckily, Izanagi swooped in to catch her before she hit the ground. Yosuke quickly attacked the horde, brandishing his knives and slicing through the crowd, Jiraiya supporting him with wind blasts. Eventually, after enough attacks, the remainder of the horde dissipated.

"Chie-chan! Are you alright!?" Teddie cried out.

"Ugh… Yeah. I'll be fine…" She grunted. As she stood up, she revealed a dark, spreading wet spot on her jacket. _Oh shit, she's bleeding! What do we do!? Okay, calm down, Naoto. We can fix this._

"Chie, you're bleeding. Go back to Junes. I'll call an ambulance."

"No way! I'm not going back now! We've come this far, and I'm seein' this through to the end!" She yelled fiercely. She pulled her jacket up a bit to reveal a large, bleeding cut on her side. "This is nothin'! I'm gonna fight!" _Chie, you idiot. Do you realize how suicidal you're acting right now!?_

 _Actually_ _…_ _You probably do… Don't you?_

"Fine, but stay in the back, and… tie your jacket over the wound." Chie grumbled, but she complied, tying her jacket around her midsection, slowing the bleeding. "If it gets worse, we're heading home immediately, got it?"

"Yeah… Thanks…" Chie spoke, her expression softening. "Let's get going, okay?"

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Oh, wowee! What a beautiful moment! Oh, I'm so beary moved by it all!" Teddie proclaimed, sobbing.

"Geez, Ted, do you realize how crazy you sound right now?" Yosuke asked.

"Oh, lighten up, you dumb bear!" He shot back. _Says the bear._

"Hahah! You guys crack me up!" Chie laughed happily.

"This isn't the time for comedy, guys." I said, bringing them back to reality. "Kanji-san's still in danger. We can't be wasting time."

"He's right! Enough laughing at me!" Yosuke shouted. "Come on, let's get going." He took the lead and brought us further into the bathhouse.

 _Chie… Don't die on me…_

* * *

We finally made it to the back of the sauna. Sure enough, Kanji was there, and his shadow next to him. _Well, at least they haven't noticed us yet… Better be careful._ There was nowhere to hide, although they don't seem to be paying attention to us.

"Will you just shut up for one second!?" yelled Kanji. "Whatever the hell you're tryin' to do, it ain't gonna work!"

 _"Oh, darling~ I'm just trying to get you to accept yourself," the flamboyant shadow responded. "Girls are so icky anyway. All they do is hunt down the studs and chew up everyone else for not being 'man enough.' That's a funny term, isn't it? 'Be a man?' What's that supposed to mean anyway?"_

"Would you stop spewing your bullshit? I'm a man, and I like WOMEN!" _Yes, because your flaming shadow is so very convincing…_

 _"Stop kidding yourself, honey~ those girls are vicious! 'Oh, you like to sew? What a queer!' 'You don't act very manly.' You see what these girls do? They do nothing but bitch to you, whine when anything goes wrong, and gossip behind your back! That's why guys are so much better… Yasss~ I much prefer men. They're tough, they're loyal, they've got large, throbbing-"_

"I said SHUT UP!" He yelled again.

 _"Oh, great… No one accepts me… Not even myself… Won't someone please just accept me for who I am!?"_

"Let's get somethin' straight here, bud! I'm not you! We're nothin' alike!" _He's getting really angry now… Maybe we should step in._

The shadow started laughing softly. _"Oh, Sweet cheeks~ That's where you're wrong… I am you!"_

"Oh, hell no! There's no way! You're not me!" _And he said it… Just great._ As the words left his mouth, dark energy began to gather around the shadow, transforming it.

 _"Oh, you have a point there. I'm not you anymore… I'm finally free to be me!"_

The shadow fully transformed into a large, muscular man with roses around its body, and two more muscled goons. "Woah! What the hell's goin' on!?" Kanji screamed.

" _I am a shadow… The true self…"_ The shadow picked up two large Mars anchors and swung one straight for him.

"FUCK!"

 _"Jiraiya!"_

Jiraiya shot forward and swept Kanji out of harm's way. He brought him toward us and set him down. "Stay back." Yosuke told him. "Leave the fighting to us."

"What the? The hell are you guys doing here!? What's going on!?"

"Just stay back with Chie-senpai!" I instructed him. _"Izanagi!"_ I shouted as I shot his card, bringing him into battle. With Yosuke and Jiraiya ganging up on one of the goons, I ran to the left and shot the big one. As soon as the gun went off, one of the goons jumped in front of the shadow, blocking it and dealing almost no damage. _How did that not work? Guess we need to go with magic._ Izanagi launched a lightning bolt, bringing it to the ground. I lodged a bullet in its head and ran to Yosuke, currently trying to stab the other goon with one knife and block it's attacks with another.

"Naoto-kun!" Yosuke yelled.

"Don't get distracted, senpai! Focus on the enemy!"

"Behind you!" Teddie called out.

I instinctively turned around just in time to see a giant fist connect with my face. I flew backward, slamming into the wall. _Agh! Shit, that hurt… Agh!_

"Naoto-kun!" Chie crawled over. "You okay?" _Well, you saw what happened. What the fuck do you think!?_

"I've been better. Teddie!" I called to him. "What was that about!?"

"Well, you didn't kill that shadow. I was trying to warn you." _I shot it in the head! How did it not die?_ "It seems to resist physical attacks. Tell Yosuke to stick to magic!"

I got up and ran back to the fight. "Senpai!" I yelled. "You're not gonna be able to stab it to death! Stick to magic!"

"You got it! One wind bomb comin' right up!" Jiraiya then floated up and sent a large gust of wind at all three shadows, pushing them to the ground. Izanagi then joined him above and started sending storms through the wind current. The goons screamed in agony momentarily before dropping dead.

"Nao-chan!" Teddie cheered. _What'd you call me?_ The big one's not strong against physical attacks! It's getting weak Finish it off!"

 _"Oh, look what you've done! You're gonna regret that!"_ The shadow immediately charged at me, swinging his weapons. I pulled my gun out and shot, but he seemed completely unfazed. He came very close, weapons pointed at me. I tried to shoot again, but nothing happened. _Great, out of ammo… This is it, isn't it? Stabbed to death by a gay muscleman…_ I closed my eyes, ready for the end.

 _"Ooooooohhhh!"_

It never came. I slowly opened my eyes. Chie stood in front of me in a fighting stance, one foot lodged between the shadow's legs. _Ouch… That's gotta hurt…_

"You're not layin' a finger on Naoto-kun, got it!" She screamed at the shadow. She pulled back and the shadow collapsed, reverting to its original form. _Chie… you saved my life…_

"Are you hurt, Chie?" I asked, remembering her previous injury.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just- ugh!" She gasped, collapsing. _Oh no… This was a bad idea._ Suddenly, the shadow got up again, this time staring directly at Yosuke.

 _"Y'know… You would make a wonderful boyfriend…"_

"What the hell! No way! Get me out of here!" Yosuke yelled, panicking. _Didn't we just finish fighting? Why's it getting back up!? Wait a second… He hasn't accepted it, has he?_

"Kanji-san!" I yelled to him, crouching from my injuries. "You have to accept it! It's the only way!"

"Like hell I am!" _Shit…_ "Look, that thing ain't me, okay? Well, not completely…" He admitted, standing up and walking to the shadow, punching it in the face, sending it to the ground. "Look here, you. It's not about guys or girls. It never has been. I'm just scared shitless of getting rejected. I mean, you're me, so you've seen how it goes… I just want to be accepted by someone… Come on, get up… I know you're tougher than that…" With that, the shadow stood, nodded and disappeared into light, leaving behind another tarot card. _Do all of them do that? Then where did I get mine from?_

 _ **The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest… Kanji has faced his other self. He has obbtained the facade used to overcome life's hardships, the Persona Take-Mikazuchi!**_

He stared at the card in confusion. "So, anyone gonna tell me what just happened? And what this card is? And why you're all wearing glasses?"

"We'll tell you another time. We need to get out of here first. We've got this one to take care of, too." I gestured to Chie, still on the ground. _Please tell me she's still breathing._ I picked her up in my arms and ran out of the bath house, everyone else following behind.

* * *

 _ **Evening, Junes Electronics Apartment**_

"Did we just leave through a TV? The hell's goin' on?"

"Be quiet, Kanji-kun." I commanded. I quickly picked up my phone and called an ambulance for Chie. Her wound was getting worse and she hasn't moved since defeating the shadow. "Yosuke-senpai, take him home and explain it to him. I need to stay here until the ambulance shows up."

"You got it, Naoto-kun." With that, escorted Kanji out of Junes. _Come on… How long does one ambulance take?_

 _"Hey! Look who's here!"_

I turned to the voice to see none other than Adachi-san, carrying another bag full of cabbages. _Great… Just what I needed now. And what's with all the cabbages!? Do you ever eat anything else!?_

"Adachi-san… Fancy seeing you here."

"Oh, me? Not really. I'm always hangin' around here." He admitted. "So, what happened to her?" _Shit, think of something, quick!_

"Got injured while horsing around here. Nothing new for this one."

"Ah, I see…" He muttered something to himself, then turned to me again. "So, how's the search for Tatsumi-san goin'?" _Oh shit! Did he see us leave the TV world?_

"We've been able to track him down and bring him back home. My question is how he disappeared from his home in the first place. Weren't you and a group of officers supposed to be keeping an eye on him?"

"Wait, what!?" He asked, shocked. _Adachi-san, you incompetent fool… Why you're even on the force still is beyond me…_ "Oh, right! That…" He laughed softly. "Yeah, there's not much to do in a textile shop, and I couldn't exactly leave my post to go to Junes, so… I kinda, sorta fell asleep." _Of course you did… Why am I not surprised…_

"I would be shocked if it were anyone else." I sighed, exasperated. I then heard the ambulance sirens going off outside. _About time they showed up…_ "I have to go now. Don't stay here too late." I said as I walked out the door, giving Chie to the paramedics before heading to Dojima-san's home. _It's late… I'll visit her after school tomorrow._

* * *

 _ **Dojima Residence**_

"Well, you were out late. How's the investigation?" He asked, sipping a cup of coffee. I took off my shoes and walked up to the table, sitting down and drinking the warm cup of coffee waiting for me.

"We don't have a killer yet, but we have rescued Kanji-san from danger." Dojima-san immediately did a spit take and stared at me, wide-eyed.

"Are you serious!? Did you actually rescue him!?"

"Yes. He disappeared yesterday, but I was able to find him and bring him back home. The killer probably won't go after him again anytime soon."

"Oh, Shirogane-san, I knew you could do it!" He yelled. _Do you really have to react so loudly?_ "Alright, we're celebrating tomorrow! We thwarted the Killer's plans!" _Oh come on, are you serious?_

"Dojima-san, you really shouldn't-"

"Nope! We're celebrating our- er, _your_ victory tomorrow, and that's that!" He cheered. Sighing, I finished my coffee and returned to bed, exhausted from the days events, leaving Dojima-san to celebrate on his own.

* * *

 _ **?**_

 _"See? What did I tell you?"_

"I still don't trust her."

 _"She saved an innocent life! Why shouldn't we trust her?"_

"We haven't even met this girl yet, and we don't know her true motive. She showed up right when he disappeared, and that can only mean one thing."

 _"Yes. One thing indeed. But what that one thing is? No one knows."_

"That's… not what I meant. Forget it. I can see there's no convincing you."

 _"If the time comes where she must be put to death, I know you have the strength to do so. Until then, we must simply observe."_

I'm not going to just sit here and do nothing while she's planning who knows what!"

 _"Fine, be my guest. All the experience you've accumulated up till now in this one room is sure to serve you well in the outside world you know nothing about."_

"…"

 _"No? Very well, then. We shall continue with the plan and observe."_


End file.
